Electric-light sign.



No. 696,775. Patented Apr. I, I902.

H. TRIPP & a. E. STEPHENSON.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SIGN.

(Application med Dec. 17. 1901.)

(No Model.)

Tu: "bums PEYEHS ca, PHOTO LX1H0.. wnmmmn. o c.

UNITE diaries ATENT Prion;

HERMAN TRIPP AND GEORGE E. STEPHENSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

El-ECTRlC-=LIGHT SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,775, dated April.1, 1902.

Application filed December 1 7, 1901. Serial No, 86.249. (No model.)

To aZZ w/wm timer/y concern.-

Be it known that we, HERMAN TRIPP and GEORGE E. STEPHENSON, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented ace-rtain newand useful Improvement inElectric-Light- Signs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to electric-light signs having the characteristicsof a readily-removable letter or letters, the letter or letters beingdetachably connected to the conductor and to the support or carrier forthe conductors and letters; and the primary object of the invention isto construct a simple, practical, and efficient support or carrier forthe conductors and for the attachment and detachment of the letter orletters.

Other objects are to improve the formation of the support or carrier, toinsure a suspension of the conductor in a firm manner, to give rigidityand strength to the support or carrier and at the same time provide forlightness and economy in construction, to improve the arrangement forinsulating and supporting the conductors and uniting the sections ordivisions of the support or carrier, and to an edge elevation of theclamp or clasp encircling the bar or hanger.

The carrier or support is constructed of two companion bars or hangersset at the proper distance apart for the length of letters of the sign,leaving an open space between the two companion bars or hangers. Eachbar or hanger is preferably made of galvanized iron, but other suitablemetal or material can be used, and each bar or hanger is made of twosimilar sections or halves A and A, set apart, so as to leave a space orslot A between them for the passage of the connection or clamp whichattaches the letter to the conductor. As shown, each half or section ofthe bar or hanger has three sides a and a, the sides a standing indiagonal or inclined relation to the side a, and the lower edge of eachside a is inwardly turned to form a lip or edge a longitudinally of thesection or half of the bar or hanger, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4E.The two sections or halves when in position for the complete bar orhanger would have what might be termed a hexagonal formation incross-section with the open space or slot A centrally separating thesections or halves, and this formation of three sides for body of thebar or hanger, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The arrangement shown has twobars or hangers connected one to the other by ties or straps B, with theends of each strap between the ears 12 on one side or end of its claspsor clamps, and the end of the bar or strap is secured firmly in place bythe tightening-bolts 1), two of which, as shown, are employed, the boltspassing through the ears and the end of the bar or strap. The bar orstrap can be of the required length for the separation desired betweenthe two companion bars or hangers for the space which may be wanted, andso as to set the bars or hangers at the necessary distance apart for theattachment of the letter or letters.

A plate or block- C, preferably of insulating material, is located ineach bar or hanger so as to be in direct line with the position of theclasp or clamp around the bar or hanger and furnish a support forretaining the sections or halves of the bar or hanger apart for theopenings or slots A on each side in the construction shown, and for thispurpose the insulating-plate C has an upper and lower straight side,diagonal or inclined sides, and vertical straight sides, forming, ineffect, an

octagonal shape for the insulating-plate, and

opening or slot of the bar or hanger, and the turned lip or edge a isentered into a slot 0 therefor in the edge of the insulating-plate, aslot c 'being provided for each lip or edge, as shownin Fig. 4. Theinsulating blocks or plates are spaced a sutficient distance apart toprovide a suspension or support for the conductors, and a conductor D islocated in each bar or hanger, each conductor passing through holes attherefor in the insulating blocks or plates, and these conductors arefor the purpose of conveying the electric current to the electric lampsof the letters for illuminating the letters, as usual. The insulatingblocks or plates, in connection with the encircling clasps or clamps,give rigidity and firmness to the body of each bar or hanger, and theblocks or plates and the clasp or clamps should be spaced apart so as tofurnish a support for the conductors, which will hold the conductoragainst sagging to an extent that will take it out of line with theslots or openings longitudinally of the bar or hanger.

The insulating blocks or plates are held firmly in place by the pressureof the clasps or clamps,and the blocks or plates and the clasps orclamps, with their connecting parts, should be adjusted so as to notinterfere'with the attachment of the letters, and for this purpose theclasps or clamps and the insulating blocks or plates are movable on andin the bar or hanger, and in the event of a slight clamps and theirbarfirmly in position.

The arrangement shown has the letters appliedand held in place byspring-forks E, each fork having spring arms or fingers e, which can besprung over the conductor when the forks are entered through thelongitudinal slot or openingin the bar orhanger, and,as shown,

a spring-fork is used for each letter, located near the top and bottomof the letter and at the required distance apart for the entrance of theforks into the longitudinal slots or openings of the two companion barsor hangers, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring-forks, as shown, areconnected to and form a part of a fusible plug of the usual constructionused in the letters for electric signs, which plugis entered into thecasing of the letters, as usual, and ad mission is had thereto by aremovable cap G on the outer face of the letter, a plug and cap beingprovided at the top and bottom of the letter, as usual. The lamps forlighting up the letter or letters arearranged in series on the letter,so as to present the proper outline for the letter, and incandescentelectric lamps can be used, which lamps H, one only being shown, areentered into the ordinary sockets I for incandescent lamps located inthe frame J of the letter.

The bars or hangers are to be made of a length for the reception of thenumber of letters in the sign and are to be positioned apart to suit thelength of letters. The bars or hangers are connected together by thecrossplates or ties and the encircling clamps or clasps, with theinsulating plates or blocks in place within the interior of the bars orhangers. The conductors are passed throughthe bars or hangers and heldsuspended centrally therein by the insulating blocks or plates. The barsor hangers thus completed are attached to the building or other place ofuse for the sign by brackets or suspending and supporting rods orotherwise, so as to have an overhung relation from the building or placeof use or other position, as may be required. The bars or hangersfurnish a support or carrier for the letter or letters, and the letteror letters are attached by slipping the spring-forks of the letter orletters through the longitudinal openings or slots A for the fingers ofthe forks to pass over and clamp onto the conductors, the fingersfurnishinga connection with the fusing-plug from which theconducting-wires in the letter extend to the several lights, as usual.The letter or letters can be applied to one side only of the support orcarrier or to both sides thereof when the support or carrier overhangs,and as illustrated the letter or letters are applied seems to both sidesof the support or carrier. The

support or carrier when set flat against the wall of a-building orotherplace of use only permits the application of the letters to the frontside, in which case the rearstraight sides of the bars or hangersfurnish a bearing for maintaining the sign as a whole in The letters incase of accident tothe letter or letters from the support or car rier byanoutward pull to disengage the spring-arms ofthe forks, and the letterwhen detached can be repaired or replaced by a new letter by simplyinserting the springforks through the longitudinal slots or openings forthe arms of the fork'to pass over and engage with the conductors.

The support or carrier, made, preferably,

ofgalvanized iron or other suitable material.

plates. The carrier orsupportasawhole pre-' sents an open space insteadof a solid background,givingthe sign a better outline, and at the sametimethe construction is one which will maintain the sign as a whole inshape. The completed sign is easily handled, as itis not heavy andcumbersome,"and the adjustability of the clasps or clamps and thecrossplates or tie-bars enables the spacing to be adjusted toaccommodate the letters without having the clasps or clamps and thecrossbars or tie-plates interfere with the attachment and detachment ofthe letters, and the construction of the carrier or support is simple inits nature and at the same timeis one which enables a letter or lettersto be applied to both sides of the sign or only to one side,

as may be necessary, thus facilitating the construction of signs havingletters on both faces.

The bars or hangers shown are arranged for the attachment of letters ina row and have the sign a single-line formation; but it will be readilyseen that by adding another pair or a second pair of similar bars orhangers a two-line or three-line sign is provided. The bars or hangerscan be madein defined lengths, and these lengths canbe'joined end toend, so as to give any length required for a sign, and in joining thelengths end to end a clasp or clamp can be made to encircle the jointureat the abutting ends, so as to furnish rigidity at the-juncture betweenthe two lengths. The making of the bars or hangers in defined lengthsenables thelengths to be joined end to end for a long sign or to beseparated and placed one over the other for a Wide sign, thus providingfor the construction of signs of different character from the lengths ofthe bars or hangers. The bottom of the lower section or half of each-baror hanger can be provided with holes a to allow water or moisture toescape from the bar or hanger, thereby preventing water from rising inthe bars or hangers and contacting with the conductor,therebyimpairingits conductivequalities,theholes a extending, ifdesired, in a series or being at proper distances apart for escaping thewater or moisture. The arrangement shown provides for an openspace'between the two bars or-hangers; but for some usesthis open spacemay not be desirable. When necessary, the open space can be closed byapiece of metal or other inaterialplaced between the two hangers, heldin place in any suitable manner.

What we regard as new, and, desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi 1.In an electric-light sign, theicombination of two com panion hollow barsor hangers, each bar or hanger consisting of two trough-shaped halves orsections spaced apart to leave on each side an opening or slotlongitudinally of the bar or hanger, clasps or clamps encircling thebody of each bar or hanger, connectingstraps or tie-barsbetween the twobars or hangers, and interior supporting plates or blocks for each baror hanger, substantially as described.

2. In an electric-light sign, the combination of two companion hollowbars or hangers,eachi bar or hanger consisting of two trough-shapedhollow sections spaced apart to leave on each side an opening or slotlongitudinally of the bar or hanger, clasps or clamps encircling thebody of each bar or hanger,connecting-straps, or tie-bars between thetwo bars or hangers, interior supporting plates or blocks of insulatingmaterial, and a conductor for each bar or hanger suspended by'theinterior plates or blocks, substantially as described.

3. In an electric-light sign,the combination of two companion hollowbars or hangers, each bar or hanger consisting of two troughshapedhalves or sections spaced apart to leave on each side an opening orslot-longitudinally of the bar or hanger, clasps or clamps encirclingthe body of each bar or hanger, connecting-straps or tie-bars extendingfrom clasp to clasp between the two bars or hangers and united at theends to the clasps, interior supporting plates or blocks of insulatingmaterial in line with the clasps or clamps on each bar or hanger, and aconductor for each bar or'hanger suspended by the plates or blockscentrally within and longitudinally of each bar or hanger, substantiallyas described.

4. In an electric-light sign, the combination of two companion hollowbars or hangers, each bar or hanger formed ofsheet material andconsist-ing of two trough-shaped halves or sections spaced apart toleave on each side an opening or slot longitudinally of the bar orhanger, each half or section having three sides, claspsor clampsencircling the body of each bar or hanger, connecting-straps or tiebarsbetween and attached .to the clasps or clamps and uniting the two barsor hangers, interior supporting plates or blocks for each bar or hanger,and a conductor suspended by the plates or blocks centrally andlongitudinally of each bar or hanger, substantially as described.

5. In an electric-light sign, the combination of two companion hollowbars or hangers, each bar or hanger formed of sheet material and eachconsistingof two trough-shaped halves or sections having three sides andspaced apart to leave on each side of the bar or hanger asa whole anopeningor slotlongit-udinally of the bar or hanger, clasps or clampsencircling the body of each bar or hanger, each clasp orclampconsistingof two halves or sections each half or section having four sides andeach half or section having at its ends an ear, connecting-straps ortiebars entered between the ears of the clasps or clamps, and attachedto the ears by tightening-bolts and uniting the two bars or hangers,interior supporting plates or blocks having eight sides fitting thehollow trough sections or halves, and a conductor for each bar or hangercentrally and longitudinally suspended therein by the plates or blocks,substantially as described. 7

6. In an electric-lightsign, the combination of two companion bars orhangers, each bar or hanger formed of sheet material and each consistingof two trough-shaped halves or sections, each half or section having astraight wall and a diagonal wall on each side of the straight wall, andthe two halves or sections spaced apart to leave on each side of the baror hanger as a whole an opening 01' slot lon gitudinally of the bar orhanger, clasps or clamps encircling the body of each bar or hanger, eachclasp or clamp consisting of two halves or sections each half or sectionhaving a straight side, a diagonal side at each end of the straight sideand a short straight end at the terminus of the diagonal sides with earsprojecting at right angles from the straight ends, connecting-straps ortie-bars entered between the ears of the clasps or clamps on one sideand attached to the ears by tightening-bolts and uniting the two bars orhangers, interior supporting plates or blocks, each plate or blockhaving eight sides, three of the sides fitting the straight and diagonalWalls of the hollow trough sections or halves of the bar or hanger, anda conductor for each bar or hanger centrally and longitudinallysuspended by the plates or blocks in the bar or hanger, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an electric-light sign, the combination of two companion bars orhangers, each bar or hanger formed of sheet material and each consistingof two trough-shaped halves or sections, each half or section having astraight wall and a diagonal wall on each side of the straight wall, andthe two halves or sections spaced apart to leave on each side of the baror hanger as a whole an opening or slot longitudinally of the bar orhanger, clasps or clamps encircling the body of each bar or hanger, eachclasp or clamp consisting of two halves or sections each half or sectionhavinga straight side, a diagonal side at each end of the straight sideand a short straight end at the terminus of the diagonal sides with earsprojecting at right angles from the straight ends, connectingstraps ortie-bars entered between the ears of the clasps or clamps on one sideand attached to the ears by tightening-bolts and uniting the two bars orhangers, interior supporting plates or blocks, each plate or blockhaving eight sides three of the sides fitting the straight and diagonalwalls of the hollow trough sections or halves of the bar or hanger, aconductor for each bar or hanger centrally and longitudinally suspendedbythe plates or blocks in the bar or hanger, and a letter detachablyconnected to and carried by the conductor and the bars or hangers,substantially as described.

8. In an electric-light sign, the combination of two companion hollowbars or hangers, each baror hanger-consisting of two trough-shapedhalves or sections spaced apart to leave on each side an opening or slotlongitudinally of the bar or hanger, clasps or clamps encircling thebody of each bar or hanger, connectingstraps or tie-bars between the twobars or hangers, each connecting-strap or tie-bar connected with a claspor clamp on each hollow bar or hanger, interior supporting plates orblocks for each bar or hanger, carrying the conductor within the bar orhanger, and openings in the bottom of each lower trough-shaped half orsection of each bar or hanger, substantially as described.

HERMAN TRIPP. GEORGE E. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, OSCAR W. BOND,

